Beautiful 9/11 memorial

To the Editor:

For several weeks in August, as I drove along Harrison Street in Algonquin past Riverfront Park, I watched the progress on the construction of the 9/11 memorial. I was unable to attend the dedication as I had another commitment, but I drove by as the ceremony was in progress. I was glad to see that it was well-attended.

A couple of days later, I stopped to see the memorial. I was deeply moved, and struck by the beauty of the entire design. Walking along the river, seeing the beam from the World Trade Center in its starkness of rusted steel and broken concrete with its base in the shape of a pentagon; the tributes to our two fallen Algonquin firefighters; the rendering of the firefighter’s hat; the tribute to those who lost their lives on that day; the commemorative bricks in the walkway – it is all so touching.

I hope that all who have not seen it will make a special effort to visit – and to remember our fallen heroes, as well as those firefighters and police officers who daily put their lives on the line to protect us all.

Thank you to those who conceived the idea of a waterfront memorial, those who designed it, and those who did the physical labor to make it a reality. What a beautiful addition to Algonquin’s riverfront!